| Unit name | Research Methods |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MEEDM0001 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Dr. Fowler |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This is a core Unit for those progressing to the MSc in Teaching and Learning for Health Professionals. The Unit is important in providing students with appropriate knowledge of and skills in research so that they will be able to carry out their dissertation confidently and competently, whatever their background in relation to research may be. For this reason this is a mandatory Unit. The Unit covers an exploration of the basic assumptions underlying the social science research process, critical appraisal of the literature, research design, data collection management and an introduction to data analysis. Participants who have already done research themselves may well have some of the relevant skills, but this unit is important in highlighting the processes of applying them to an educational focus rather than a clinical or scientific one.
The Unit will develop students' ability to:
· Identify appropriate research questions, focused on the educational process, within specific professional contexts
· Critically appraise educational research literature
· Use journals, Medline and other education databases to search for relevant publications
· Design an appropriate research study within the workplace
· Understand the strengths and limitations of various qualitative and quantitative data collection methods
· Create appropriate instruments for data collection
· Develop a broader understanding of research issues
The principle teaching and learning methods will include the following:
Workshops, demonstration, discussion, group exercises, tutorials, computers and online learning.
An assignment comprising 3,000 words.
Provisional deadlines: within 12 weeks of the first study day for a Unit.
Students will be required to write a research proposal designed to explore the research focus that they are thinking of for a masters project. The proposal must contain a suitable literature review, justification of methodology chosen, a consideration of research ethics and reflection on their own journey as researcher.
· Bell J (1993). Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first time researchers in education and social science. Buckingham, Philadelphia: Open University Press.
· Bryman, A (2012) Social Research Methods (4th ed) Oxford, Oxford University Press
· Clough, P. and Nutbrown, C. (2012) A Student’s Guide to Methodology (3rd ed) London, Sage.
· Cohen L and Manion L (1994). Research Methods in Education. New York: Routledge.
· Punch K (1998). Introduction to social research. London: Sage.
· Sapsford R and Jupp V (1996). Data collection and analysis. London: Sage.
